Mis-Fires

[Vair]

I have a 45-70 that I have had MAJOR problems with mis-fires. It almost cost me my first moose, and the first dear of the season!    I love the gun, I have been very impressed with the accuracy (distance is a little short, but I am looking at changing my hand-loads... any suggestions would be accepted on this, more importantly though --> )  I have already ruled out my hand-loads (I load other cartridges with no problems, my primers are seated properly, no grease, all the bases covered...)  But it is getting really dis-spiriting when I have so many misfires.
I also have a 22-250 which I have not fired. However, I received it from my father, and he said he had several problems with mis-fires in that gun as well.
I am suspicious that it is a problem with the hammer spring.  It just seems like too much of a coincidence that two similar guns have the same problem...
I also have a 22 hornet but I have had absolutely NO problems with this gun. (Maybe the small primer~~?)
Finally, if it is the hammer spring, are they standard for all the NEF & H&Rs? or will I need to do some research on which gun has which spring... (Where might I get this information?)
I am quite certain that I am pulling the trigger completely!?!(If by chance I didn't what would the mis-fired cartridges look like? would it be just a minor indentation? or would the firing pin NOT strike the shell at all?)
I would appreciated if anyone has any more extensive experience with these firearms.
I really enjoy these guns, and I would like to have the absolute confidence that it will fire when I pull the trigger!

[gendoc]

what does your primer strikes look like, compared to successful ignited primer...
what is the primer brand your using?
i have heard that cci primers are very hard, but i have not experianced any ftf
and cci magnum primers both small and large p&r is all i will purchase.
and i handload for over 50 firearms.

[cwlongshot]

Three things immediately come to mind anytime someone complains of this problem.

1) Be certain you are pulling the trigger completely to the rear of its travel everytime.

2) weak hammer springs. Order yourself a couple WOLFE extra power springs.

3) Firing pin protrusion. Should be between 40 and 50 thousandths.

CW

[Vair]

I am using Winchester Primers (Which I understand are the most accurate?!)
Some of the mis-fires have a very light indentation (Others are identical to a successfully discharged primers.) This inconsistency is perplexing....
If I was failing to pull the trigger completely would there still be an indentation on the primer?
Is a weak hammer spring common? (I think it is odd that 2 of 3 of my NEF misfire. If it is NOT a common problem, then it may be that I am not pulling the trigger completely? (Though I am certain that I am)...)

[Vair]

Would the hammer spring be a double or single coil?
Does this vary based on the gun?

[quickdtoo]

Welcome Vair!  The last question asked depends on when it was made, all H&R rifles and shotguns made since 1987 have a single coil spring, many older guns used double coil springs and had no transfer bar. You can find build year info and a lot more in the FAQs and Help sticky, a good place to spend a few days reading, read the Handi Basics 101 sticky also.

You may have a bad transfer bar as well as a weak hammer spring, weak springs are a known issue even on new H&Rs, but not pulling the trigger all the way to the rear is a more likely cause since you're the one variable common to all of the firearms, it's real easy to release the trigger once it breaks instead of pulling it all the way to the rear until it stops.

Excess headspace is another issue that will cause misfires and light primer strikes, a rim cut that is too deep could be the 45-70's problem particularly on an extractor barrel, not so much a problem on ejector barrels.

Tim